1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to media television display devices with enhanced connectivity functionality, and more particularly, to a television with integrated signal switch for console and peripheral devices.
2. Background of the Invention
A single user or multi-user Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) switch system is a signal switch that allows a single user or multiple users, respectively, to share just a single keyboard, video device and mouse, or multiple sets of keyboards, video devices and mice (collectively referred to herein as “console devices”). In addition, if a peripheral device such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) printer is connected to the switch, the peripheral device can be shared as well.
USB is a standard communications architecture and protocol that gives a computer the ability to connect to a variety of devices using a simple cable. USB utilizes a serial communication link that is capable of operating at multiple data speeds (e.g., 1.5, 12 and 480 megabits per second (Mbps)). The USB protocol can configure devices at the startup of the computer or when they are plugged into the computer at run time. These devices are divided into various device types, or device classes. Each device class defines the common behavior and protocols for all devices that serve similar functions.
The most current source providing information concerning the USB standard is maintained at the following site on the World Wide Web: http://www.usb.org. Available at that source is the USB Specification, the Device Class Definition for a class of devices referred to as Human Interface Devices (HID), and the USB HID Usage Supplement. The HID class consists primarily of devices that are used to control the operation of computer systems. Typical examples of HID class devices include: keyboards and cursor control (e.g., pointing) devices—for example, standard mouse devices, standard and multimedia keyboards, trackballs, and joysticks; front-panel controls—for example, knobs, switches, buttons, and sliders; controls that might be found on devices such as telephones, video cassette recorders (VCRs), televisions, kitchen and other appliances, and remote controls; games or simulation devices—for example, data gloves, throttles, steering wheels, and rudder pedals; and devices that may not require human interaction but provide data in a similar format to HID class devices—for example, barcode readers, thermometers, or voltmeters.
A signal switch that is both a KVM and a USB peripheral sharing switch allows all computers connected to the signal switch to share any USB peripheral device coupled to the signal switch without interruption of data flow to that peripheral device when the signal switch is operated to change the coupling of the console devices to different computers. This type of signal switching of KVM channels and peripheral channels to a common computer or to a different computers either asynchronously or synchronously.
Currently, televisions may only receive and display video input from one computer. Thus, the television may not access multiple computers to obtain content, which limits the flexibility of the configuration of the television setup. In addition, current television displays do not allow a keyboard and mouse, or similar input devices to be connected directly to the television—either wirelessly or otherwise.